Charity Commission statement on Judicial Review
High Court hearing on a judicial review sought by CAGE concerning the Commission’s regulatory engagement with a number of charities.
CAGE is not a charity and has never been a charity but it has been funded by charities. Given the public statements made by representatives of CAGE in February about Mohammed Emwazi / ‘Jihadi John’ and the public outrage and concern these comments generated, the commission sought information and assurances from charities which had funded or been connected with CAGE. The commission secured assurances that the charities were not funding CAGE and in the current circumstances had no future intention of doing so. The commission’s aim was to protect the public trust and confidence in charity and to ensure that the trustees of the charities concerned were complying with their legal duties. The commission remains of the view that this was the responsible course of action for the charity regulator to take.
The commission is confident that the court will find it acted within its powers. The court has already dismissed two claims by CAGE that the commission breached its human rights and did not act fairly. The commission believes it used its powers appropriately and that the court, and the public, will agree.